Need help, Water softeners

NM Leon

NM Leon

New member
I need some help guys. Our new house has the hardest water I've ever seen, and I think I'm going to have to break down and get some sort of water softener system.

I don't like the water that comes from "normal" water softeners, it feels slimy, and tastes bad. In doing some research I've found that apparently more and more metro areas don't like it either, and are banning them. I would also like to make it a "whole house" system, including the (expensive) sprinkler system I'm installing in the yard and (eventually) a swimming pool and hot tub too.

I think those objections/uses preclude a salt based conditioner.

I have found several different types that I never even knew existed as well as the traditional types. There are some that are electromagnetic that look pretty interesting as a whole house system.

Do they work well enough without going to an industrial system? Anybody have any experience with them? Should they be combined with a filter. Any brand recommendations.

Leon
 
We have very hard water in our area too. It ruins everything in time. We do not have any softener but nearly all our neighbors do. Most have the salt type. A few buy drinking water even then. A couple neighbors have purchased the electro type you mention. They don't eliminate all of the staining hard water is famous for(sinks, faucets, toilets, cars). Guessing one system may be Kinetico, it reduced the problems noticeably maybe 70% and I think it was around $3000 plus. Good Luck
 
That's only one of the reasons I didn't want to go with the "just add salt" type.

I do want conditioned water through the sprinkler system, scale buildup will kill some really expensive control heads and sprinkler heads, but salt will kill the plants.

I got an electro magnetic type, should be here tomorrow. I'm still a little dubious, but it's got a money back guarantee including shipping, so...

Leon
 
I have a GE softner which works fine, you will also want a RO (Reverse Osmosis) for you kitchen and I use a while house filter for the water to the house. Water going to the barns or hoses around the house do not pass through the softner.

I would get a bid from your local non chain water company and comapir to what you can get from internet or big box. GE is fine but I would not buy that brand again.
 
DougK,

You do not want a RO filter on your drink water system. The membrane is so small on the RO filter that it takes out all the minerals that your body needs. The only way to use the RO filter on your drinking water is if you are taking a real good multi-vitiams. A good microfiltration (about 5 microns)filter is what you need to take out most of the calicum hardness and other minerals ( iron and manganese that you are experiencing.


nmelon,

As much as I dislike recommending chain companies, Culligan does have a real good system that is a combination of a salt/microfiltration unit. The thing is that if you get a yearly maintenance contract with them you will not have to worry about maintenance that is required.

Sean
 
Quote:
DougK,

You do not want a RO filter on your drink water system. The membrane is so small on the RO filter that it takes out all the minerals that your body needs. The only way to use the RO filter on your drinking water is if you are taking a real good multi-vitamin. A good microfiltration (about 5 microns)filter is what you need to take out most of the calcium hardness and other minerals ( iron and manganese that you are experiencing.

Sean



Sean
Great point. Yes I do take a daily multi-vitamin which help to keep me strong and full of energy.
Doug
 
Thanks guys, I went with an electro mag system. I didn't want a salt system because of the "slimy" feel, and also because I've got enough stuff planned for outside that hard water would ruin, to justify a "whole house" system. That gets pretty expensive when your talking about including a pool, hottub, and sprinkler system in a salt system (also not good for plants).

The mag system seems to be working very well. No more water spots at all. They warned it might actually be worse for a while till the old scale buildup was cleaned out, but this is a brand new house so that wasn't a problem.

I may put some sort of filter in for the kitchen/fridge to take out clorine (they say it's not healthy), but the water tastes fine.

Leon
 


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